Saturday, April 30, 2005

 

Steve's Video Of The Day: Bush-Flying the Boeing 747!!

I remember one time I was doing a Multi "Pilot Proficiency Check" (PPC) on Piper PA-31, C-FBKK, with a Transport Canada Inspector named Art Lashbrook. I had the usual "ride jitters", and figured I had done OK on the ride, but you never know until the end. I did the last emergency procedures, a single-engine flapless approach, and landed, and turned off the runway to taxi to the ramp at Winnipeg International Airport. Art didn't say much, until he asked me "Do you have a lot of 'float' time?" "Yes", I replied, "a lot." Crap, it must show. Maybe my "circuits" weren't square, or some other bad habit was glaring. "Yes, I thought so," Art said. I took the bait. "Why did you ask me that?" I queried. Art's reply was "I have done numerous, numerous PPC rides, in many different types of airplanes. I can always tell when a pilot has a lot of float time, because float pilots have much "smoother" flying skills than other pilots with equivalent time, but with none on floats." Hey, that was a compliment! Unusual coming from a Government Inspector!! I found out later Art himself had lots of float time, lots on Beech 18s! Anyway, from what I have witnessed, it is true, due to the environment you are forced to fly and deal with continually. I passed the ride, and said good-bye to Art. This was many years ago, but I understand Art still does Beech 18 PPC rides on floats to this day in the Red Lake-Kenora-Fort Frances areas!

The reason I wrote the above little "blurb" was just to explain that tremendous skills are learned flying in the bush due to the environment. Pacific Western Airlines used to hire high-time coastal B.C. float pilots to fly the Boeing 737s, and they were known in the industry as "The Cowboys". So, I figure the spectacle you will soon witness must have been perpetrated by a high-time "bush" driver. Anybody that can handle a Boeing 747 in this manner, knows how to fly "by the seat of his pants"!!

VIDEO! -Bush-Flying the Boeing 747!!


Daughter "Monger" (14 yrs. old now) aboard Piper PA-31, C-FBKK, a veteran of many a pilot's hands on her yoke. BKK was the location where Art gave Steve a fine compliment............. Posted by Hello


Beech 18 C-FSFH taxis to the dock on one engine at Little Grand Rapids, Manitoba.......... Posted by Hello


Beech 18 C-FSFH, shut down, gliding to the dock.......... Posted by Hello


A Beech 18 is a beautiful airplane, and a tremendous environment and training tool for pilots who end up with major airlines. Art has lots of time on Beech 18s, and still does check-rides to this day................. Posted by Hello


Top-notch pilot and Aircraft Maintenance Engineer Gary Polinuk emerges from Beech 18 C-FSFH, and is soon swarmed by a mob of adoring females............. Posted by Hello


Mini-airliner on floats, Beech 18 C-FSFH has a striking, beautiful profile.......... Posted by Hello

# posted by Steve @ 9:16 AM
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